2In 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag, mix 2 cups flour, and the ground pepper. Place large wire rack on 15x10x1-inch pan. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry on paper towels. Place chicken pieces, two at a time, in bag of seasoned flour; seal bag and shake well to lightly coat. Remove chicken and place on wire rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. Set bag of remaining seasoned flour aside. Discard brine. After chicken is coated, refrigerate uncovered at least 15 minutes.

4Dip each piece of chicken into egg mixture and return to bag of seasoned flour. Shake dipped chicken again, remove from bag and return to wire rack.

5Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1/4 cup butter in 15x10x1-inch pan; place in oven to melt.

6Remove pan from oven and place chicken in melted butter in pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn chicken pieces over. Bake 10 to 20 minutes longer or until coating is golden brown and crispy, and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs).

8Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the mushrooms to skillet. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms lose some liquid and brown around edges. Add wine and quickly stir and scrape any browned bits of mushroom or onion that may be stuck to pan. Cook 3 minutes longer or until wine evaporates. Return onion to skillet and sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour and the sage over mushrooms and onion. Stir well and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

9Slowly stir in broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until gravy comes to a simmer. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with chicken.

Notes

Tips

Expert Tips

Why it Works: Brining
Soaking meat in salt water has been done for thousands of years to preserve meat. Salt pulls the water from meat and stops bacteria from making it go “bad.” How then, can soaking meat in salted liquid make meat juicier? It’s all in the timing. Soaking meat in a mild salt solution relaxes the protein in the meat. Water in the brine then has a chance to work its way between the proteins. This liquid becomes trapped inside the meat and serves as your insurance policy against drying out the meat during cooking. But caution is advised. Soaking meat for too long or in too strong a salt solution will dry your meat out. Stick with about 1 cup table salt for every 2 gallons liquid and do not leave meat in brine more than 12 hours unless the recipe directs you to do so.